Folding bed.



PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907.

C. T. RICE. FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.26,1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1-.

m MW llliigii Jm/ 67250 fiariw 175C062 THE Mamas PETERS SHINGTON. 1:. c4

PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907. O. T. RICE.

FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED DECLZS, 1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

CHARLES T. RICE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 15, 1907.

Application filed December 26,1905. Serial No. 293,323.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. R1012, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Beds, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding beds, and moreparticularly to mantel-beds of the type embodying head and foot membersmaintained continuously vertical and vertically-folding side railsadapted when folded to bring the'head and foot members of the bedrelatively close together in such relation that they may be covered by asuperposed mantel or shelf and concealed by drapery attached to themantel.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a bed of thisgeneral character which may be folded into a small compass, so as topresent when closed, whether draped or not, a neat and attractiveappearance and which when open will have all of the strength and comfortof a rigid or non-folding bed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a bed of the characterdescribed wherein means are provided for facilitating the closing orfolding of the bed, so that such operation may readily be performed by arelatively weak person.

Another object is to provide means for automatically latching the partsin folded position to prevent accidental opening of the bed.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide as part of the bed aspring structure particularly adapted for use in conjunction with thefolding-bed frame which will give to it the comfort of a deep orbox-spring bed, while permitting its closure into a small compass, asheretofore described.

Other and further objects of myinvention are to provide various featuresof mechanical construction and arrangement of practical advantage andutility in the construction and use of the bed, but which may best begathered from the following description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated an operativeembodiment of my invention.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved bed inopen position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section therethrough,showing the bed in closed position. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 ofbig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail on line 4 4 of I! ig. 1. 1* ig. 5is a detail of one end of the turnbuckle tension-rod. Fig. 6 is a detailplan view of the hinged joint and spring of one of the side bars. Fig. 7and Fig. 8 are sectional and plan details of a spacing member shown inFig. 2. Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively sectional and plan views of thedetachable mantel connections.

Throughout the drawings like numerals of reference refer always to likeparts.

In general beds constructed in accordance with my invention provide avertical head member 15 and a vertical foot member 16 of any usual orpreferred construction, the head member 15 preferably providing metallicside posts 17 17, a top cross-rod 18, and a bottom cross-rod 19, betweenwhich crossrods may be supported ornamental or strengthening metal workofany suitable configuration or character. To the head-posts 17 17 ofthe head are connected in any suitable manner the castings 20 20, and tothe foot are connected the similar castings 21 21.

22 22 indicate, respectively, the side rails of the frame, pivotallyconnected at their ends with brackets 20 21 and 20 and 21. Each of theseside rails is preferably composed of angle-iron arranged with its angleat the lower outer edge of the rail, and each rail is divided at itscenter, as shown at 23.

A hinge 24 connects the horizontal parts of the angular side rail, saidhinge being of any suitable construction, preferably provided with apintle 25, which may for convenience be in the form of a rod extendingtransversely across the frame for co action with both side-rail hinges.

It will be apparent that when the bed is opened the side-rail sectionsaline and abutting squarely against each other are rigidly stoppedagainst further movement.

In conjunction with the sections of each side rail 22 I provide a spring27, adapted and arranged to exert a force tending to break the joint ofthe rail at the point 23 to cause the two sections of the rail to pivotupon their pintles 25. This spring may be of any suitable constructionto effect the purpose; but I have found it convenient to employ ahelical torsion-spring having its coils mounted upon the rod 25 and atits free extremities rigidly secured to the side rail at points suitablyadjacent the pivotal connections.

It will be understood that the torsionspring 27 is normally or when thebed is open under tension tending to elevate the adj oining ends of theside-rail section and that'correspondingly said spring resists themovement of the side-rail sections from position in angular relation toeach other to position of alinement assumed when they are opened. Thusthe spring exercises a dual function, lightening the effort necessary inraising the central part of the bed in closing or folding the same andin the opening operation governing or resisting the descent of thehinged ends of the side rails to alining position, so that they dropeasily and without jar. In this manner the bed is made operable by womenor children, and in addition the noise and wear incident to jarring ofthe rails in unfolding are practically eliminated.

It will be understood that to permit the folding of the side rail eachsection is connected at its outer extremity by a pivot-bolt 31 to thecasting or 21, as the case may be.

The four connections are all alike, so the description of one thereof isa description of each. I preferably provide in the bracketoasting anoutwardly-tapering aperture 29 and form in the side-rail member aregistering aperture 30. Through the aperture 30 and into the hole 29 Itightly insert a tapered headless bolt 31, having a threaded extremity32, upon which I screw a nut 33.

It is unnecessary to provide a head upon the inner extremity of the bolt30, for the reason that the side rails 22 22 are definitely spaced apartby means which I will now describe, and therefore'cannot move away fromthe castings or disengage with the bolts 31.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 5, 34 34 indicate reinforcing members forthe outer extremity of the side-rail sections extending from the endsthereof to points beyond the pivot-bolt holes 30, and 35 indicates anend bar connecting the side-rail sections adjacent their outer ends. Toprovide against the in ward or outward bending of the side railsadjacent their points of pivotal connection at the center of the spanbetween the head and foot brackets and to permit of the truing of thebed-frame in general, I provide a tensionrod 36, preferably secured tothe side rails of the bed by tapering heads 37, as shown in Fig. 5, thetension-rod 36 being at any suitable point divided and provided with aturnbuckle 38, whereby the divided sections may be drawn together orcaused to separate. By the adjustment of the turnbuckle 38 to tighten orloosen the rod 36 a very effective truing of the side-rail sectionswherewith the rod is connected may be effected and any tendency of theside rails to spread or bend in at their hinge-points overcome.

To give the bed in use the comfort of a box-spring bed and yet to permitit being folded in small compass, I employ a spring structure ofpeculiar arrangement and construction, which I will now describe.

Between the side rails 22 22, below the lower edges thereof when in openposition, are hung spring supports 0r straps 40, ex-

tending transversely of the bed-frame, the saidsupports being spaced onopposite sides of the hinge-joints at unequal distances from thehinge-axis, so that when folded in the position shown in Fig. 2 saidsupporting-straps pass each other in interspaced relation. 2 Forconvenience I prefer that the supporting strapsbe secured at their outerends to hangers 41, depending from and secured to the inturned lowerflanges of the angle-iron side rails. To the supportingestraps 40 aresecured in any usual or preferredi manner in transverse rows the spiralsprings 42 42, at their free ends supporting the mattress and bedding43in the usual-manner.

It will now be apparent that as theside rails are bent upward at theirpivot-points and the bed condensed into its smallest com pass, as shownin Fig. 2, the straps and. their attached springs interfit or pass eachother in interspaced relation, so that the bed spring is condensed-intoaspace smaller than the joint length of two springs. Thus long softsprings may be employed without in.- creasing? the size of the bed whenfolded, thereby securing the advantage of comfort inicident to the useof box-springs without sacrifice of the compactness of the foldedebedstructure.

To steady the bed while being. folded, I provide steadying-arms4545,.pivoted,.as at 46 46, to the castings 20 21 and pivotallyconnected, as at 47, at their central point, substantially as and: forthe purpose described-in my prior patent, No. 807,204, dated December12,1905.

I have found it advantageous,howevento modify the construction shown insaid pat ent by providing two supporting-legs 48 48", one arrangedintermediate the ends of each of the steadying-arms, the two legsbeingat different distances from the pivotal point 47.

By this means I find the twisting strain is largely taken off the rails,friction is reduced at the pivotal point, and great steadiness andstiffness are imparted to the bed whenopen or closed.

For automatically latching. the bed in closed position I provide asuitable latch, in the specific embodiment comprising a. spring 50,secured to the end bar of the head-section of the frame and providedwith a latchinghead 51, arranged in such position that as the parts comeinto the folded relation shown in Fig. 2 said head 51 of the latch lapsover the end bar 35'of the foot-section of the frame, thereby lockingthe parts together against accidental movement out of folded relation.

I also prefer to provide a spacer 52,. carriedby a steadying-arm at anypoint and arranged to abut against the end barsof the frame when the bedis folded, so automaticall y centering the steadying arms. The spacer 52may obviously be of any suitable construction, that'which I have hereinshown comprisinga U-shaped sheet-metal member secured to one of thesteadying-arms 45 or 45, preferably adjacent the pivotal point thereof,as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It is often desirable when the'bed isin folded position to conceal thelower portion thereof and to convert it into a convenient mantel, and tothis end I provide the detachable mantel-shelf 55. The shelf proper, 55,may be of any suitable construction, of such width and length that whenattached to the head of the bed at a suitable helght it extends beyondthe foot of the bed when in folded position, said mantel beingpreferably provided with hooks 56 or other means whereby suitabledrapery 57 may be secured thereto to fall in front and conceal the lowerportion of the bed, as shown in Fig. 2. For the convenient attachment ofthe removable mantel I secure to said mantel attaching memberscomprising hangers 58, adapted to catch upon the cross-rod 18 of thehead of the bed, and struts or braces 59, having at their ends curvedfingers 60, adapted to coact with the posts 17 17 of the head of the bedto brace the mantel against downward pivotal movement about thecross-bar 18. Prefer-,

ably each attachment member is made in a single piece of sheet metalbent to form the hanger part 58, a flat portion for attachment to themantel-shelf, and then bent back upon itself and twisted into a verticalplane to form the strut 59, the extremity of the metal strap being thenbent outward and curved to form the finger 60. In this way a very cheapand effective attaching member is provided, and it will be seen that themantel may be instantly attached or detached, as the case may require.

For purposes of full disclosure of my invention in a very completemanner I have herein described in some detail a specific embodiment ofmy invention which I deem to be new and advantageous in many of itsdetails; but I do not desire to be understood as limiting my inventionin its broader aspect to such details of construction, as it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that numerous departures might bemade from the specific construction herein shown without departure fromthe spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a bed of the character described, a head member, a foot member, aside rail comprising two sections pivoted for vertical movement-infolding, and a spring tending constantly to move said side rail tofolded position.

2. In a bed of the character described, a head and a foot, a side railpivoted at its ends to the head and foot, and centrally divided into twosections hinged togethensaid' sections being arranged to alinelongitudinally when the bed is opened, and a spring tending to break thealinement of said sections of the side rails in the direction whereinthe connected sections move in the closing. operation of the bed.

3. In a bed of the character described, a head member, a foot member, aside rail comprising two sections at their outer extremities pivoted tothe head and foot members respectively, a pivot-pin connecting theadjoining ends of the side rail, a spring carried by said pivot-pin andexerting an upward pressure on the rail-sections when the bed is open,tending to move the side-rail sections to closed or folded position.

4. In a bed of the character described, a head member, a foot member,two side rails each comprising two sections connected at their free endsrespectively to the head and foot members, a ivotal connection for theadjoining ends 0' the sections of each siderail including a pivot-pincommon to both joints, coiled springs mounted upon said pin and havingtheir opposite ends secured to the opposite side-rail sections, wherebysaid springs exert tension, when the rails are in normal or openposition, tending to force the side-rail sections to closed or foldedposition.

5. In a bed of the character described, a head member, a foot member,side rails each comprising two sections pivotally connected together attheir adjoining ends and at their extremities pivoted to the head andfoot structures respectively, springs tending constantly to move saidside rails from pivoted position to folded position, andmattress-receiving springs supported from the side rails arranged toextend below the side rails when the bed is open, and disposed tooverlap each other in interspaced relation when the bed is closed.

6. In a bed of the character described, a head member, a-foot member,side-rail-supporting castings connected with said head and foot memberson opposite sides, each of said castings having a hole therein taperingtoward the outer side of the casting, side rails each comprising twosections, hinged joints for the adjoining ends of said sections, thefree ends of said section having apertures therein for registry with theholes in the respective castings, means for spacing the opposite siderails apart and tapered pins taking through the apertures in the siderails into said holes in the casting.

7. In a bed of the character described, a head member, a foot member,side rails each comprising two sections hinged at their adjacent endsand pivotally secured to the head and foot members, an end bar extending between the side rails adjacent an end thereof, and means for truingthe side rails comprising a divided rod connected to the eelgemilongitudineil ipleneyand e spaeer :cerried by :a steadyingearm:arranged for interposition canneetingtheedjacentaends.efithessaidared'between the hee'dend ifoet members when v-seetions. theibediisdosed.

5 8. In abed efithezcharaeter:described,ra In testimony whereof Ihereunte-set my [5 heads-member, se @foet member, .-'seeti,ona1 rsidelhaind in thexpresencetef two Witnesses. rails, whereof the sections ofeah irail are t OHARLES T. RIGE. .zhingeditegethehand respectivelypivoted to ln presence ef the :head :end .i'feet members to move -verti-MARY FF. ALLEN,

to eally in fe'lding,rsteadyingearms moving'ima @120. T. MAY, Jr.

* side mails :between ithe send her :and #the.eexztremitiesaefvtherSidewreiilgmmd a turnbuckle

